The bridge and the rose
by Errol's Feather
Summary: A stab victim is found by Brooklyn bridge along with a rose that has a black ribbon around it. The CSI NY version of the phantome of the opera. A SMackers, Lindsey and Flack story. By Gunwolf2008.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: **I would like to thank my friend Emily as she helped creating and writing the whole thing, it has been a blast :o)

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

_**The bridge and the rose.**_

Chapter 1.

It was a rainy April day in New York City and Stella sat bent over a body beneath Brooklyn bridge, a stab victim, but she had to work fast as the rain was destroying the evidence.  
Sitting there she for some reason looked out over the water, the waves was going back and forth more than usual because of the bad weather.  
"It's a mess much like my life" she though with a sigh.

She walked over to Flack and asked: "What do we know?"  
"All I was able to get from the guy who found her was that he was out for a jog around 5am, saw something, and came over. When he saw her, he checked for a pulse and she was dead. Then he called 911" said Flack  
"Ok, thanks" said Stella  
"What can you tell me Sheldon?" asked Stella as she went closer to him and the body

"Some small puncture wounds made by knife, but fatal blow was to the heart of what I can tell so far, but I know for sure at the post" he said.  
"Hey Stell doesn't this look a bit out of place" Flack yelled.  
"What?" she asked turning towards him.  
"A rose" he said and pointed at the ground, there it was a single red rose with a black ribbon around it. Stella looked confused, that didn't make sense at all to her.

Stella held the rose with her gloved hand and pulled gently on the black ribbon. In the distance, you heard an aria but it was faint. She lifted her head as if she heard something but shook it off when Sheldon called her.  
"Stella, you okay" asked Sheldon  
"Yeah, I'm coming. You ready to head back to the lab" she asked him as she laid the rose in a bag and put it with the rest of the evidence they collected.

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"Stella, Stella are you listening?" said Mac interrupted her thinking.  
"Huh" she said looking up at him.  
"That was sure well spoken" he said and smiled at her.  
"Very funny" she said.  
"Did you find out anything about the rose" he asked her as she was holding it.  
"Only it could have been bought in every flower store in the city and I get way too few of them" she said with a sigh.

"Well maybe check the ribbon" said Mac  
"Already did Mac, its French silk. Very rare and imported from only a few places in the USA. However, it's not imported to NY. Only Los Angeles" she said  
"Great, get on it" said Mac  
"Mac, already checked them out. No stores or orders have come or gone out for that ribbon. Also no specific individual has ordered it. It basically has not been used for over 75 years" said Stella  
"Well, see if there is anything else then on it" said Mac  
" I'll drop it off to trace" she said to him with a smile

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"Hey Stell, you got a delivery" said Lindsey

"Yeah this ribbon, will you see if you can find anything on it" said Stella and handed it over.  
"Yeah of course, it's really beautiful" said Lindsey.  
"It really is" said Stella.  
"A rose and a black ribbon, very poetic, you think the killer loved the victim?" Lindsay asked.  
"No idea, but it's a beautiful gesture still" Stella stopped as she suddenly could hear the music from the crime scene again.

"Do you hear that?" she asked  
"Hear what?" asked Lindsey  
"That music, it's so beautiful, it's like an aria of some kind" said Stella  
"I don't hear anything Stella" said Lindsey  
"Odd, I mean its so clear and beautiful" said Stella

Lindsey looked confused at her friend, she was looking dreamily into the air and was listening she couldn't hear at all, which was just strange.  
"Are you positive you can't hear it" said Stella again.  
"Yes, I can not understand what you are one about" said Lindsey.  
"Maybe if I can write the words I can find the song" said Stella thoughtfully.  
"Stell would you focus here, ribbon" said Lindsey.  
"Huh, oh yeah what do you got?" Stella asked as the tunes slowly vanished.

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As Stella was in her office, she tried to remember the words from the aria. However, all she could remember was 'think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye'. That was the only line she should clearly hear. She goggled it and it came back to the Phantom of the Opera. She thought 'how odd, this is one of my favourite operas but no one knows that.' She also wondered if it was somehow connected to the case they were currently trying to solve.

As she was wondering about that she didn't noticed she had started humming on the song and startled when she suddenly heard Mac sing: Remember me once in a while, please promise me you'll try.  
"Mac how did you know that" she said surprised.  
"Just do, good opera" he said and smiled at her.  
"My favourite, but do you think it can have anything to do with the case" she said.  
"Maybe, too early to say, but if it is I'll say we are hunting for a phantom" he said and smiled at her again.

"That would be interesting" she said  
"Maybe we should check out the opera house, the Met maybe?" said Mac  
"That's a bit of a stretch. Do we have any connection to that?" asked Stella  
"There was some sawdust on the ribbon that comes from wood that used in the cellar chambers of the Met" said Mac  
"So to the Met we go" said Stella

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That Stella love the Met wasn't hard to tell, at once she came inside she was so at ease and she just enjoyed her self. Mac could tell, and he found it cute. As they looked up at the chandelier she asked him "Can you sing all the songs in the opera?"  
"I can yes" he said honest as they walked down to the cellar.  
"Sing me something then" she said.  
"Little Lotte let her mind wander" he sang with his deep voice.  
Stella looked at him with eyes that sparkled more than usual when they heard someone yell: Watch out.

"Stella! Stella where are you" said Mac as he was looking around for her

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 2.

Stella fell through to a basement level. After she landed and made sure that nothing was broken, she took out her flashlight and started to look around.  
"Hello! Anyone down here?" she said aloud  
Again she heard music but it was another song. All she got was bits and pieces but as she continued walking, the music got stronger. She entered a small alcove and saw candles and heard a violin. She started to embrace the music and humming the lyrics just as she heard someone singing them.  
"Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation, darkness stirs and wakes imagination" he sang with his deep voice and Stella looked at him as if she had known him from before. He held out his hand to her and she took it, as if she were in a trance.

Stella looked at him, this was familiar, and she felt a bit of something she didn't care to much about, yet she couldn't bring her self to break out of the trance she was in, it was something comfortable about the setting, about him even if she couldn't see his face as half of it was covered by a black mask.  
"Why are you wearing that?" she asked.  
"Because if I remove it you will think I'm ugly and I don't want that" he said, she liked his voice, it felt safe.  
"I'm sure you can't be that bad, please let me see you" she said in a soft tone curious about him.  
"No, just leave it be, please" he replied not wanting to show him true self to her.

"What is this place?" she asked as she looked around  
"It is my home, where I can create music" he said  
As he answered her, he started to play "Think of Me" but with no words. Stella turned and came back closer to him as he continued to play.  
"That is one of my favourites" she said  
"It is one of mine too. Why don't you sing some of it?" he proposed to her  
"I don't have the talent" she said  
"I could teach you, please sing for me" he asked her.  
She was about to refuse again but something made her start to sing. As she started out soft she began to feel comfortable and sang even louder. She came closer to him, and he being so immersed, in her voice didn't hear her come near or put her hands on his mask and pull it off. When he felt it missing, he scrambled so much that he hit her on the side of the head, knocking her out.  
As he carried her to rest he said, "I told you not to reveal the mask. I would have shown you anything but my face. Now when you awake, you will think me a dream but I am no dream!"

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Mac was still searching for Stella. A cop came up to him and said, "Sir, we have searched everywhere, she is not here."  
"Keep looking, I don't want anyone out of this building until she is found" he said while thinking 'where are you my little Lotte?'

He signed as he called Lindsay and said: Will you get me the original drawings of the Met.  
"Just give me a second and I will be right down there" she said and hung up.

A moment later Mac and Lindsey were sitting on the stairs looking at the original blue prints, and Mac quickly found that a lot was in fact changed since the place was originally built.  
"So she just vanished" said Lindsey.  
"Yes, I was singing her some tunes from the phantom and the she was just gone" he said, he was starting to worry.  
"Mac I'm sure she is fine, she gotto be here somewhere" said Lindsay, just as Mac's cell went of.  
"Taylor" he said.  
"Mac, it's Danny, we got another 419, but this one you gotto see" said Danny in the other end.  
"I can't come now, I'm looking for Stella" he said, he didn't want to leave knowing she was still lost.  
"I'm telling you, you need to get down here, I can send Don there and he and Linds will keep looking" he said and hung up.  
"I don't want to go, but I have to, but you and Don will keep looking for her until I get back" said Mac and left with a heavy heart.

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Lindsey and Flack were sitting on the stage continuingly looking not knowing exactly where to start as it seemed to be a lot of old corridors under the Met, but nowhere to enter them.  
Lindsey let her fingers wander over the piano filling the room as Flack watched her when he got an idea and said: Didn't Mac say she disappeared when he sang something from the opera.  
"Yes why?" she asked.  
"Well if we are looking for the opera ghost we have to play his gave and if she disappeared while he was singing, I'm just guessing that we can do the same, sing for a door of some kind will open" he said honest.  
"You want try it out or shall I" she said.  
"I never was much of singer" he said.  
"Ok, so if he want Stella to be Christine, that would make Mac Raoul, then I would be Christine's friend so my lyrics is Where in the world have you been hiding really you were perfect" Lindsey sang out, but nothing happened other than Flack looked at her like she somehow had opened his eyes with magic and he said: Continue that was really beautiful.  
Lindsay blushed and said: Christine you must have been dreaming stories like this can't come true....  
"What the hell Lindsey" Flack screamed out in fear.

"Flack, Flack give me a hand here" said Lindsey as she was hanging on dangling pipe  
"Lindsey! Hold on" he said as he reached down to grab her hand and pull her up.  
"Thanks Don" she said as she gave him a hug.  
"Linds, look down there. There's some stairs, lets follow them. Maybe we will find Stella" he said as he took her hand

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At the crime scene Mac was looking at another victim, only this time it was personal as the victim has a striking resemblance to him self, and there was no stab wounds, the victims throat was slid, and again there was a rose on the scene.  
"This must be a message" said Danny looking at his boss.  
"Really that though didn't strike me" said Mac in a dry tone.

"Sorry Mac" said Danny  
"No, it's alright, I'm just worried about Stella" said Mac  
" We will find her, Mac. Hold on...Yeah, Montana, go ahead. Okay thanks" he said into his phone  
"Lindsey and Flack found a secret tunnel under the Met and are checking it out now" as Danny said to Mac  
Mac heard him and nodded but kept thinking 'Stella, where are you?'

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In the tunnel...  
"Linds, you see anything" asked Flack  
"Not really, just lots and lots of pipes. Hold on, what's this?" she said as she came to a letter that read 'I have her and she is safe. I do not want to kill her -Opera Ghost-  
"Flack, read this" said Linds as she handed him the note  
"We'll get this to the lab and show Mac" he said "we need to do a full search. Come on, lets head back up."

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Mac was reading the note over and over "I do not want to kill her" did that mean he was considering it. To kill his Stella, well she wasn't exactly his, but yet she was. It was first now it dawned on him how much he loved her.  
"Hey Mac you got a moment" he suddenly heard Reed ask and startled.  
"Yes what is it?" he asked.  
"I was thinking about this case you are working the opera ghost" he said.  
"How did you even find out?" he asked.  
"Well talking here and ther, either way I talked to some sources and they told me about him" said Reed.  
"Him, do they know who he is?" Mac asked.  
"Uhm not exactly as it's just a rumour, or an urban legend if you like" he said honest.  
"Ok I'm listening, not that I am a believer of stuff like that, but if it can help me find her" said Mac with a sigh.  
"So the story goes that long time ago, this kid he lived in a orphanage, but it somehow caught fire and he was only survivor, but he got half his face burned right of so people say he is using a mask to cover it. And this kid he was only seven or so at the time, but he was brilliant at piano and could write music as well. After they had more or less patched him up he run from the hospital and then no one know where he went. But rumours has it he lives beneath the opera as it's the only place he feels safe for some reason, Don't ask me why" said Reed.

"You said he lived in an orphanage? Do you know which?" said Mac  
"Yeah, The NYC house for kids, why?" asked Reed  
"That is the connection! Thanks Reed" said Mac as he left his office  
"Sheldon, trace down the NYC house for Kids records of orphans from the 70s-80s, especially any of them that got injured" said Mac  
As Mac said that he thought that maybe the person who took Stella may have known her or seen her when she was younger.

"Mac did you know that Stella used to lived in this house?" said Sheldon.  
"I assumed that much" said Mac.  
"Oh she got injured to, either way I there is to many children hurt to exclude anyone" said Sheldon.  
"Anything about the fire" said Mac hopefully.  
"Only that it burned down the whole thing oh wait a moment, there was one of two brothers that died in it oldest one, youngest was newer found, last name was can't make it out, something with son as the first piece of this is all smuttered" said Sheldon.

"Keep searching and get me addresses for them if you can" said Mac  
"Ok, I'll call Danny and Flack update them, Lindsey was looking for you, she's in the layout room" said Sheldon

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As Mac left, he headed to the layout room. His 'little Lotte' was still missing and it was 12 hours since she was last seen  
"Linds, what you got?" said Mac  
I have a theory that there is some kind of voice activator under the stage at the Met. When or if Stella sang, she fell all the way through the floor to another chamber. I sang and I went down one level to the pipe tunnels. According to the floor plan we got, there should be nothing under there" said Linds  
"Reed told me of a legend of an orphan who was injured who made his home in that level. There must be another way into that underground lair" said Mac  
As he was about to continue talking, Lindsey's phone rang it was Stella!  
"Stella, where are you. What? Stella! I can't hear you, wait, hold on...I'm coming just hold on!" said Lindsey  
"Lindsey! Where is she? Tell me!" demanded Mac  
"She is at her apartment, she doesn't know how she got there or what not" said Linds  
"Let me come with" said Mac  
"No, she only wanted to see me. Please Mac. I'll ask her if you can stop by later" said Lindsey as she left the lab  
Mac walked back to his office and sat in his chair, he let a tear roll down his cheek as he wiped it away. 'Stella is safe' was all that played in his head.

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Lindsey entered Stella's apartment and found her very much confused.  
"Stell what happened?" Lindsey asked.  
"Not sure, but I was in a room with this guy and everything was of" she said.  
"Did he hurt you?" Lindsey asked.  
"No, not at al rather the other way around it was like he somehow treasured me and I felt like I was inside the opera phantom" she said.  
"What did he look like?" Lindsey asked.  
"Dunno, he was wearing a mask, tried to remove it, but then it went black, think maybe he knocked him out, I shouldn't have done that to him poor guy" she said and looked down.  
"Can you tell me anything about this place or him?" Lindsey said.  
"Uhm it was a lot of candles there, a piano, floor was white tiles, it was tidy, there was a bed there to" she said honest.  
"And him?" Lindsey asked.  
"He was wonderful, his voice, the way he played the piano" said Stella with a sigh.  
"Earth to Stella, he is a killer, he killed another when you was with him, a man that looked that Mac, you remember Mac right, he was so worried about you" said Lindsey

"Mac, oh no, I can't see him. Not tonight. I changed my clothes when I woke up. They are on the side for you. But I cant see Mac" Stella said in a panic  
"Stella, why not? He is worried sick about you? He practically begged me to come along" said Lindsey  
"Just tell him, that I need to be alone right now and that I will see him tomorrow at work, please Linds" said Stella  
"Ok, Stella, get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow" said Lindsey as she left

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Mac almost jumped on Lindsey when she got back to the lab and said: So how is she?  
"She's confused but ok, he didn't harm her" said Lindsey.  
"So could I see her?" he asked.  
"No she said she was bizzy tonight, but back at work tomorrow" said Lindsey.  
"But" Mac said, he suddenly went very sad as he walked back to his office.  
"What was that about?" asked Danny.  
"Stella she's back, but she was apparently to bizzy to see Mac tonight for some reason, oh I brought her clothes so we can examine them" she said as she walked next to him to the lab.  
"Linds I was wondering you wouldn't be interested in a drink later?" he said.

"Danny, I..." Linds started  
"Lindsey, I was looking....oh, sorry" said Flack  
"No, Flack its ok, I was just leaving" said Danny  
"Lindsey, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me?" said Flack  
"Sure, Don, I would love to. Just let me know when and where" said Lindsey.

"Luigi's at seven?" she suggested.  
"Sounds good by me, I have to get back to Reed" he said.  
"Oh what are you doing with him?" she asked curiously.  
"Digging in the past of out phantom, he seems to have a lot of connections" he said.  
"Well he's a journalist they always do, I have to do and look at this" she said and flashed him a smile before she walked into trace.

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A moment later she and Danny were looking at Stella's clothes when he asked: So you are seeing Flack?  
"I don't see if it's any of your concern if I was" she replied

"Well, I'm just looking out for you, that's all Linds" said Danny  
"Danny, I can trust Flack, so don't worry" said Linds  
"Ok. Hey look at this stain on the back of her shirt" said Danny  
"Flash the UV light on it, let me swab it. Oh my God, Danny, its blood" said Linds  
"Take it to the lab and see if they can get a profile, I'll see what else this phantom may have transferred to Stella" said Danny

The profile on the blood from the shirt stated what Lindsay had suspected it was from a male, now she was watching for something to pop up in CODIS so she might get a lead while she was thinking about Flack. She had been doing that a lot lately, it was just something about him.  
"You got anything?" she heard Mac ask from behind her.  
"Still searching through the database" she said as she looked down at her papers.  
"Did Stella tell you what she was doing tonight?" he asked.

"No, she just seemed so frazzled" said Linds  
"Maybe I'll try calling her and see how she is, maybe she'll talk to me" said Mac  
"Yeah, damn no hits from CODIS" said Linds  
"So all we know is that the blood that was transferred to the back of Stella's shirt was from our male victim" said Mac  
"Yeah, maybe check with Sid" said Linds  
"Yeah, I'm on my way there now" said Mac

As he was walking towards Sid's office Mac picked up his phone and called Stella, she answered and said: Hey Mac.  
"Hey Stell are you ok?" he asked.  
"Uh huh" she said.  
"What happened to you today?" he asked.  
"Uhm not completely sure, but really I'm in kinda a hurry" she said.  
"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to library. I need to do some research" said Stella as she got into her car  
"Okay, well call me later or when you get home so I know that you are safe, please" said Mac  
"Okay Mac and thanks. Any leads on the case" asked Stella  
"I'm going to see Sid now and Linds found blood from the victim on the back of your shirt" said Mac

"It was blood on the back of my shirt" she said a bit shocked.  
"It was yes" he said.  
"But, but how, are you saying he's a" she stopped.  
"I dunno yet, you are not going to see him again I hope" said Mac.  
"Noooo....." she said.  
"Just be careful because...." he replied.  
"Because what?" she asked.

"He is dangerous, Stella" said Mac  
"Thanks for the concern Mac but I have to go, I'm at the library already" said Stella  
As she clicked off the phone, she got out of the car and entered the building. She went straight for the fiction to find the phantom of the opera by Gaston leroux. She took out her notepad and made notes that could maybe help the case. She lost track of the time and fell asleep at the library. When she woke, it was midnight and she heard the strange music this time. She followed it after collecting her things and pulling out her gun and flashlight. When she got close enough, she found a stereo playing the music. She turned it off and thought she saw someone run behind her. She chased the figure into the stairwell but lost him when he got to the roof. She gathered her things and left the library. When she got home around 1AM, she texted Mac to let him know that she got home safe but didn't mention what had happened.

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It was the next day and Stella was sleeping in her office when Mac went to find her. He watched her and smiled to him self as he found it cute. He went over and gently whispered: Stella.  
"Uhm sorry I was just was kinda tired" she said.  
"You sure you are ok?" he asked.  
"Just a bit confused other than that fine" she said and smiled wagly at her.  
"Ok so did you have fun at the library last night?" he asked.  
"It was interesting, I found out things about the phantom" she started just as they got interrupted by Reed yelling: You are never going to believe this.  
"What" said Mac.  
"The kid that disappeared in the fire I found his name" said Reed excitedly.  
"What is it?" asked Mac curiously.

"Drew Bedford" said Reed  
"Wait, we arrested him a year ago for murder, he's in prison" said Mac  
As Mac heard this he called Flack to check on Mr. Bedford and found that he escaped a few days ago.  
"We need to get down to Sid and find out more about our victim" said Mac  
"I'll come with you" said Stella

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Mac and Stella were heading towards Sid's office to check out the victim.  
Mac opened the door and turned towards Stella only to find she wasn't there at all, he walked back from where they came, but she was gone. Instead he could hear an organ play in the distance and though "What the hell are you playing at"  
He walked into Sid's office and said: Have Stella been here?

"No only you, you came then you went and now you are back again" said Sid confused.  
"Hmmm, so any news on out victim?" he asked not explaining any further.

"Yes, a very interesting fact, you are looking at Drew Bedford" said Sid  
"What, are you sure?" said Mac  
" I printed him and ran it through the database, he came up and I will suspect that his blood is the one that was found on that shirt" said Sid  
"Anything else" said Mac  
"Death was strangulation, looks like a chord. Very thin and fine, almost like silk. There was a puncture mark on the base of his neck, I'm not sure if its relevant or not" said Sid  
Mac thanked Sid as he went to go find Stella. He thought he heard the music again but it stopped as he looked in the lab and saw Stella there looking at the photos of the victim.  
" Mac" she said as she held a hand over heart "you scared me"  
"I'm sorry Stella. Did u see anything in the photos, you recognize anything?" asked Mac  
"Yeah, I've seen those burns before. There was a kid at the same orphanage as me. He got out of there at 15 and I never heard from him after I got adopted. He was always so nice to me" she said  
"Wait, he was suppose to be our victim on the slab, we have the wrong body" said Mac  
"Flack, get your men back to the scene. Someone switched the bodies" said Mac

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Flack and Lindsey were searching around the bridge for the missing body when she suddenly said: I'm so sorry I had to cancel on you last night, but really I was feeling under the weather.  
"I know, I could tell on the phone, are you feeling better today?" he asked.  
"Much more so, shall we say same place and time tonight?" she replied hopefully.  
"Yes, I was wondering about something now though" he said.  
"Yes" she replied and walked a bit further down to the water.  
"Could you sing for me again, you have such a beautiful voice" he said looking at her.  
"Yeah that ended so well last time" she said with a giggle.  
"We're outside nothing will happen" he said and smiled at her.  
"Well ok, angel of music, hide no longer, secret and strange angel" sang Linds calmly when she heard a loud thump an saw Flack fall to the ground.  
"Don, Don" she said sitting down next to him trying to get him back to life noticing his head was bleeding a little and yelled: Damn you opera ghost.  
Don slowly opened his eyes and said: Don't think it's such a good idea to curse at him.  
"Are you ok, what happened?" she asked really concerned.  
"Think someone threw a rock at me or something, but I'm ok" he said and smiled at her.  
"You want me to take you to the hospital so you can have it checked out or shall we go on?" she asked.  
"Go on, you can take me there after sweetie" he said and smiled wagly at her.

"Charmer. Its weird whenever me or Stella sing songs from the phantom of the opera, weird things happen" she said  
"Hey Linds, look. A blood trail" said Don  
"Lets check under the bridge" she said  
They went down the path and under the bridge to find the missing mannequin wrapped up in rope and with another rope around the victim's neck.  
"So is this a message" said Flack  
While Flack was on the phone, Lindsey looked around the area for anything. She didn't see much, except a disturbance of a rock formation. She looked closely and got a shoe print.  
"Flack, I got a shoe print. Maybe we can find who knocked you with that rock" said she to him

He nodded as Lindsey went back to the car to find a lifter for the print.  
As she bent down to get it Flack couldn't help but watching her from behind, but quickly stopped when Linds said: Would you quit looking at my as and do something productive.  
"Uh huh" he said and walked a few steps further away, randomly looked at the ground and yelled: Linds look at this someone is playing with us as this wasn't here before.  
What he was talking about was a red rose with a black silk ribbon around.  
She gently lifted it up and said: Sure you didn't leave it here for me.  
"Positive as your favourite flower is lily's and besides I'm not a black ribbon guy, this is our dear friend the phantom" he said.  
"But I don't get this, if he knocked you out a moment ago and left this here, he must be around watching how come we can't see him" said Lindsay a tad frustrated.

"Either he has an invisible cloak or he is very fast" said Flack  
"He may be but he is getting sloppy, we have a shoe print, by the look of it it may be custom made" said Linds  
"I'll get it back to the lab and maybe we can track it down" said Linds  
"Ok, I'll call Mac and let him know, maybe he can get something from Stella" said Flack

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Stella was sitting in her office working when she again heard the song and couldn't help but follow it. It was like she was in a trance because she did not see where she was going at all she just followed it blindly until she again was in the phantoms cave. She sat down by the piano and started to play and sing along not knowing what was making her do so.

From a distance a dark shadow was watching her smiling than he managed to control her that well.

Feedback always welcome and very much appricited :o)


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 3.

When Stella came to or out of the trance, she looked around and was in the cave again.  
"How did I get here?" she said aloud  
"The music brought you to me, like when we were young, don't you remember? I used to sing to you when you couldn't sleep" said the phantom  
"I don't remember much from the orphanage and I don't remember you. I remember the music but that was so long ago..."said Stella  
"You were so young but so beautiful and then when you got adopted, I was so crushed. I was left alone and had no one. Before the fire, I used to look after you all the time. After the fire and you left, the head of the orphanage was never the same to me, especially after I got scarred" he said

"I'm sorry to hear that, but really I can not remember you, I think I blocked most of that out to be honest" she said, thinking she might have remembered him easier if he wasn't wearing the mask.  
"You can not have forgotten it all, we were really close and everything" he said.  
"As I said I remember pieces like the music, but not all" she said as her eyes started searching for a way out.  
"There you go trying to escape again, you really shouldn't do that" he said  
"Well I don't really like very much to be kept here against my will, I would really like to go as I have work to do" she said.  
"Bizzy little bee, work, work, work, is that all you can think about, I though we were having a nice time with the music and all" he said.

"What did u call me" said Stella  
"Little bee. I called you that all the time when you were a baby" he said  
"I remember that name from the orphanage, when I was about two a young boy came by me and told me a story about a bizzy worker bee" she said  
"Yes, I was that boy...what else" he asked her as he got excited that she was remembering

"I remember that and you use to sing to me when I was sad and in time I started singing the songs to, I don't know why I couldn't remember this sooner, did anything bad happen to block this out?" she said.  
The phantom went quiet and she said: What is your name and what do you look like now, since you had to have changed.  
"I don't want to share that, I look hideous now, just accept that" he said.  
"How can a person that sings and play so beautiful be hideous, please let me see you" she said looked at him, there was tenderness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry but no. I have let no one see me" he said  
"Ok then" she said but was still curious for she remembered the person but couldn't remember a face or a name  
"Look, I have to return. I have a job and people who are looking for me" she said  
"You'll return to them in good time" he said wondering why she wanted to leave him so badly.

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Mac looked out his office window. It was late and he was holding the rose in the evidence and all he could think of was Stella. 'I love her' he thought. 'Now, I have to get my love back' he thought.

But where was he going to start, he figured on the only place that made sense, the Met. As he walked down to the basement levels he was trying to think, but all that came into mind was the lyrics of the phantom of the opera, it was like he could hear the music playing wagly from a piano somewhere in the far distance.  
Mac was thinking about his Stella, he longed for her, he needed her, and now he realised he had to probably fight for her, only he didn't knew how to do so, as this phantom seemed to out smart him. It bugged him.  
He let his head rest against the wall and it suddenly occurred to him that the music was coming from the other side of it and he called out: Stella can you hear me, please say you can.

As Stella continued to play she thought she heard a voice calling her. She shrugged it off and continued to play to kill time.  
"Stella! Stella! Please hear me!" said Mac  
Stella turned her head around and went towards the wall, she was nearly overjoyed when she heard Mac's voice.  
"Mac! Mac, is that you?" she said  
"Yes, I am on the other side of the wall. I'm looking for a switch or something. Do you see anything on your side?" he asked her  
"Yeah, let me see if I can switch it" she said as she went to the left side and pressed the lever down  
As she pressed it down, the wall began to split apart. She felt a hand grab her arm and pull it through the wall. When Mac had her out of there, she enveloped her in a big hug.  
"Thank god you are alright" she said as he looked in her eyes  
"Mac, I will never be safe as long as he is around me. I'm surrounded by darkness" she said as she looked up at the Met as they were standing outside.  
Mac came closer to her and wrapped his arms around her and said:  
Mac: "No more talk of darkness,  
Forget these wide-eyed fears;  
I'm here, nothing can harm you,  
My words will warm and calm you.  
Let me be your freedom,  
Let daylight dry your tears;  
I'm here, with you, beside you,  
To guard you and to guide you"

Stella: "Say you love me every waking moment,  
Turn my head with talk of summertime.  
Say you need me with you now and always;  
Promise me that all you say is true,  
That's all I ask of you.

Mac: "Let me be your shelter,  
Let me be your light;  
You're safe, no one will find you,  
Your fears are far behind you"

Stella: "All I want is freedom,  
A world with no more night;  
And you, always beside me,  
To hold me and to hide me"

Mac: "Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime;  
Let me lead you from your solitude.  
Say you need me with you, here beside you,  
Anywhere you go, let me go too,  
Stella, that's all I ask of you

Stella: "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime;  
Say the word and I will follow you.

Feedback always welcome and very much appiciated :o)


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 4.

It was a bit later that day and Stella was for some reason sitting alone under the Brooklyn bridge looking at the water playing with a rose, she was earring a white dress and in her hair she had a white flower.  
She was thinking about the phantom, how she had just left him just like that without even a proper goodbye after what he had though her.  
Well at least what she could now remember.  
"Sweetheart" she heard Mac say behind her.  
"Yes" she replied throwing the rose in the water and watching her float away.  
From a bit beneath them the phantom was watching the rose float away and his Stella next to her man, it hurt him, he wanted to harm that man more than anyone else in the world and he wanted his Stella back.  
"What is wrong?" he asked her.  
"The boy, I mean the man, he though me how to sing, to play, he was so great to me and everything and this is how I repay him, leaving him in a dungeon and running of with you" she said.  
"But I though you loved me" he said.  
"I do, but I do not wish to leave him thinking I do not care for him as well, when really I kind of do. He may have imprisoned me, but Mac, he did not do it because he wanted to harm me, it was because he loved me all these years he had been watching over me kinda like a brother, he does not think like us, so in his eyes murdering those people wouldn't be wrong, it wouldn't be wrong at all, do you get me" she said looking at the water a tear fell from her check.  
"What do you want to do?" he asked as he put his arm protective around her.  
"I want to have a party in his honor" she said.  
"Of course and where would you like to have it?" he asked.  
"The Rockefeller centre and I want it to be a masquerade ball so he can come without being scared of being laugh at for whatever injury he may be holding and I want it to be tonight" she said.  
"Of course my star" he said.  
"One more thing though" she said.  
"Anything" he replied.  
"I want everyone to think it is a police ball so they won't suspect anything, can you fix that handsome?" she asked.  
"Of course" he said and put his arm around her as they walked away from the bridge.  
The phantom smiled to him self as there was no way he was letting Mac leaving the party with Stella even though she wanted to have it for him.

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That night the Rockefeller centre where covered with lights, a bar and an orchestra with a huge a huge grand piano leading.  
Stella was dancing happily with Mac not seeing the shadow that was approaching them.

Suddenly the lights went out and a spotlight came on the centre floor, it was the phantom. He saw Mac next to Stella and was furious...  
"How dare you insult me this way! I have given you everything..." he said while staring at Stella. What he didn't notice was Mac slip away to get his gun. As he saw the phantom get closer to Stella, he started to run. However the phantom heard him coming and dropped through a hole in the floor...Mac went after him with his gun and flashlight but found a room of mirrors and just shadowed pictures of the phantom. He heard a lock open and it revealed the Chief of police!

"Chief what are you doing here" said Mac confused.  
"Mac we have to talk" he said which made Mac follow him to a room close by where they sat down.  
"What did you wish to speak to me about" said Mac.  
"The phantom" said the chief.  
"He's a killer that needs to be brought to justice, that is all I need to know" said Mac and got out to search for him, knowing he didn't know where to start, the only thing that mattered was tat he found him so that he would not be in the way for him and Stella no more.

Stella sat in her white dress trying to think, she was confused between how she felt towards bout Mac and the phantom and didn't know what to do anymore.

Before he could get out, the Chief stopped him.  
"Mac, there is a history behind the phantom. He isn't as crazy as he seems. He was once a young free person. Wherever this hatred and hostility came from is beyond me" said the chief  
"What are you saying? That you knew the phantom?" asked Mac  
"I was the one who brought him to that orphanage. I rescued him from an abusive family thinking he would be safer in foster care. I used to see him all the time or whenever my schedule would allow. I remember when Stella was brought in. He was so happy. She was only so young and he always took care of her. When she left, he was crushed and after the fire, I couldn't find him. I searched everywhere..."said the chief  
"Chief, obviously he changed. Whatever he went through and lost has turned him mad" said Mac  
The chief heard his words and just looked down at his hands. He knew Mac was right but in his heart, he didn't want to admit it.

"Mac you can not imprison him, have you any idea what he would go through in jail, they will kill him" said the chief.  
"He is a cold blooded killer and you don't want me to capture him" said Mac annoyed.  
"No" said the chief.  
"I have to get back to the party" said Mac with a sigh and went to found Stella.

But when he finally found her she seemed distant like something was wrong, he tried asking her but she just shook it of not quite being able to face him.

After Mac took Stella home, he thought about what the chief said to him. He decided to do some digging on both the Chief and the phantom, maybe there was a connection. Back at Stella's apartment, she up in the attic looking through an old box of memories. She looked at a picture from the orphanage before she left and she saw a young boy who had his arm around her shoulders. She took the picture downstairs with her and laid it on her dresser. She climbed into bed and figured that she would get some answers tomorrow.

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 5.

Stella was twisting and turning in her sleep, she was dreaming of her past. She was back at the orphanage and the lady that run it was hitting her hardly for no reason. Stella was crying, trying to shield her self when a young boy came between them and made sure Stella wasn't hit anymore before he sat down to comfort her. He was singing, his voice was so soft and as she listened to it she stopped twisting and slept more peacefully.  
At least until she was woken early the next morning by her phone and sleepily answered: Bonesera.

"Hey Stella, it's me. How are you this morning?" asked Mac  
"I'm okay, I just woke up. Odd dream. What's up?" she said  
"I need to you to come in a bit early today, Lindsey is out sick so we are short one" he said into his phone and trying not to reveal that he really wanted her to come in so he could keep an eye out on her.  
"Yeah, okay Mac. Give me like 30 mins." she said  
" If you make it 20, I'll have some Starbucks waiting for you" he said into the phone with a smile  
"Deal" she said as she hung up and got dressed.

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Stella walked from her apartment to work humming on a random tune, smiling wondering what kind of ill Linds were, she suspected hangover from the day before when she suddenly bumped into Flack and said: God morning Don.  
"Oh hey Stell, on your way to work" he said and smiled at her.  
"Uh huh, I was wondering do you know what kinda sick Linds is as I saw you two lovebirds at the party last night, you seemed more than friendly" she said.  
"I do, but rather not share" he said.  
Stella giggled and said: I can take a hint, so are you two?

"You'll know in good time" said Flack  
Stella checked her watch and she had made it in 15 mins. She texted Mac 'where's my Starbucks? Love Stella'. His response was 'check your office ;)'. As soon as she closed her phone, she went to her office and there was her Starbucks sitting on her desk with a tulip and a note the said 'Enjoy. Have dinner with me tonight? -Mac'. She texted Mac with 'yes, when and where?'

She quickly got a text back that said: Becco at 7? Stella smiled as she really liked that place and she texted "Perfect" back. The opera ghost had now almost disappeared from her mind as she was excited about tonight's date. She looked at the tulip, she really liked tulips for some reason, sometimes even more than roses. Roses, again her mind went back to he opera ghost and again she felt very much confuzzled.

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As Stella were at work, she thought about the two men and the two flowers that symbolized them. The opera ghost gave her a rose but was hiding secrets from her, especially his identity. On the other hand, Mac was open with her and was her best friend...they always confided in each other. The tulip was her favourite flower and he knew that. As she kept thinking about this, the confusion seemed to drift along with the time. It was nearly 6:30 and she brought an extra set of clothes to change into for her dinner date. She grabbed her stuff and went to go change as she went past Mac's office and saw him on the phone.

She knocked on the side of her door and he quickly finished the conversation before he looked at her and said: You look beautiful.  
"Why thank you" she said and smiled at him.  
He got up from the desk, walked over, and put his arm around the waist before they left the lab.  
A moment later they were at Becco ordering, his hand was gently placed on top of hers as they were discussing something in a private matter when the waiter came over to the table and said: Excuse me sir there is a phone call for you.  
"I'll be right back beautiful" said Mac, got up and followed the waiter. "Mac, this is the chief, I need to talk to you" he said  
"Alright, tomorrow morning. my office" he said as he hung up  
He went back to his table and just gazed at Stella. She was beautiful by any light but candlelight made her look exquisite.  
"Mac...you're staring" she said  
"Sorry, you just look so amazing" he said as he kissed her hand  
"Who was on the phone?" she asked  
"The chief, he wanted a meeting" he told her  
"Anything wrong?" she asked  
"No, just the usual" he said to her hoping she wouldn't ask anymore.  
She nodded to him and their food came. They enjoyed a wondrous dinner and then he dropped her off at her apartment. As he walked her up to her door, he stopped and hugged her. He whispered in her ear, 'you mean the world to me' and she responded with a smile. Before they parted, they shared a romantic goodnight kiss. As she entered her apartment, she knew she would be having good dreams tonight!

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It was early the next morning and Stella found her self walking in central park, why she didn't know just that something was dragging her there, something she couldn't control, something that make her feel longings to something that happened to her years ago, so she kept on going towards it.

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 6.

In the mean time Mac was at work, he could feel that something was very wrong for some reason and therefore he called Stella only he got her marching both on the cell and at home, which wasn't like her at all and it made him worry even more.  
He quickly went over to her place only to find she was not there, so he called her cell again and found it was inside at once getting why she got the marching.  
"Little Lotte where are you" he though frustrated, he wanted to go on looking for her only he had to see the chief so the went back to the lab.  
The chief arrived at his office a moment later and Mac asked: What was it you wished to speak to me about? "Thanks for meeting Mac. I heard some distressing news that you are still researching the phantom ghost" he said  
"Yes, sir. Why does this concern you?" he asked him  
"I really wish you would just drop it Mac. It will clear itself in time" he said  
"How would you know...are you connected to him somehow?" he asked  
" I am his father, it was along time ago, I was 18 and married to the girl next door. She died in childbirth and I was just accepted into the academy. I couldn't raise a child so I gave him up for adoption and made sure his records stayed sealed. I haven't had any contact but have been able to observe him from a distance" he told Mac  
"Why is he going after Stella?" he asked the chief  
"When I heard about that I couldn't believe it. That doesn't sound like him" he said  
As he was getting ready to start talking, Lindsey called Mac.  
"Mac, Stella isn't at her apartment. Do you know where she is? The door is open and she's not here. Wait, there is a trail of something here. I'm going to follow it and see if I can find her" she said as she hung up before he could say anything.

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Lindsey followed the trail and she was in Central Park. She saw Stella sitting by a tree in a trance. She sat next to her and just observed. Stella looked normal but she was quiet and humming a melody. Suddenly she stopped and just looked at Lindsey and collapsed.  
"Stella, Stella wake up" Lindsey said as she tried to shake her to wake up.  
"Lindsey, what happened? What am I doing out here?" she said as she tried to stand.  
"If found you, I followed the trail from your apartment" said Lindsey. "Trail of what?" Stella asked confuzzled.  
"Roses" said Lindsey and pointed at the way to the bench and there it was roses laid down in a line.  
"I, I don't get this, why won't he leave me alone, why is he messing with me like this" said Stella frustrated.  
"Because he for some reason wants you" said Linds.  
"But I don't want him, I want Mac, I wish this stupid guy could just let me be and stop putting silly songs into my head, I don't like it very much" sad Stella even more frustrated.  
"Stella calm down" said Lindsey.  
"No I won't this has gone one long enough you hear that phantom, I had it with you" Stella yelled out into the air.  
"You sure that is a good plan" said Lindsey a tad worried.  
"I DON'T CARE" Stella yelled.  
"I really don't think this is the best way to go, I mean couldn't you just talk to the dude" said Linds.  
"I don't wanna talk to the dude, he can go to hell for all I care" she said, something she probably shouldn't have done as a black horse came trampling towards her and the rider snapped her up and kept going before Lindsey could react.  
She called Mac back up and said: Mac he got her.

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 7.

Mac looked angrily at the chief and said: Are you happy now, your son just kidnapped Stella.  
"Of course not and I still don't understand why he's so obsesses with her" he said.  
"Well I don't know or care why he did it, I'm going after to find Stella said Mac and headed out and towards Central park.

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By the time Stella came to, she was in a cave or a tunnel. She couldn't make out which. She also realized that she was in a while gown. It was an evening gown but in reality it could also resemble a wedding gown. She had to think about how to get out of her, she didn't want to marry him she wanted to marry Mac.  
As she got up, he entered the room. He looked at her. She was a vision to him. He had his own angel. However, his anger towards her wasn't unmerged. He knew she loved Mac but he loved her and worshipped her like the goddess she was. She looked exquisite in the dress he had picked out for her.  
"Stella, you look beautiful" he said  
"Thank you but I want to leave!" she said  
"Why? Why do you want to return to that useless world up there? We could live here in peace away from all that.." he pleaded to her.

"To me that world is not useless, it's where the my life is, the life that I love and..." she stopped thinking it might not be a very smart idea to add the man that I love.  
"You were going to say the man that you love weren't you, how can you love that fool when I can offer you so much more than he ever can" he said angry and hurt.  
"I'm really sorry, but I love him and not you, I always have and I always will, nothing you can do can change that" she said honest.  
"But I am your angel of music and you are my bee and you belong to me" he snarled and grabbed her arm hardly.  
"Let go of me" she said in a firm tone, trying to break free, but he was holding her to hardly.  
"No, you are staying here and that is final" he said dragging her further into his cave.  
"Mac where are you, please hurry I know you can find me" she though as silent tears were falling from her eyes as he gave up fighting and followed the phantom.

As the phantom pulled her deeper into the cave, he thought "how can she love him more than me? What does he have that I don't?". With his plan, he would keep her down in his lair forever and she would learn to love him. As they went deeper down a tunnel, he heard a noise. They stopped walking as he listened to the walls, he heard steps. "Damn you Taylor" he thought.  
"Lets go" he told Stella  
She continued walking but was leaving small pieces of material behind for Mac to find, for after all, she heard his steps too.

"Let her go" they suddenly heard Mac's voice right behind them which made them both startle and turn to face him.  
"I'm not doing that, she belongs to me" said the phantom.  
"She's not a thing, she's a person, she don't belong to anyone, she has her own free will and should be with whoever she wishes" said Mac in a firm tone. Looking into Stella's blue eyes he couldn't stop him self from giving her a little smile which she returned.  
"Do you really want this fool" said the phantom.  
"I do yes" she said, not knowing if it was wise or not.  
The phantom looked from Mac to Stella and back to Mac who said: If you let her go I won't take you back because I don't think you will survive in jail.

"You have no idea what I have survived through" he said  
"No, but I do" as another voice said and it was the Chief  
"I know what you have gone through and I'm sorry. I never treated you with the love that I should have" he said  
"You knew all along I was yours, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!" said the Phantom  
"Yes, I tried to watch over you as best as I could but after the fire you disappeared and Stella was adopted. There was nothing I could do" said the Chief  
As the two were arguing, Mac slipped closer to Stella. He got within 30ft of her before the Phantom caught him.  
"You have no right to her, she belongs to me!" he told Mac

"He's right Mac, I'm his" said Stella  
"What?" Mac was confused.  
"I love him, not you" she continued.  
Mac looked like he had fell down from other space, he was shocked, wondering why she was doing this all of a sudden.  
"You do" said the phantom excitedly.  
"I do and I wanna be with you" she said and smiled at him.  
"But I though you not long ago say you wanted him, why did you change your mind?" said the phantom confused.

"I know what it is like to not have love from someone you care about the most" she said, looking down.  
"Mac loves you and I love you too" he said  
"Love comes and goes, it never lasts unless its true..." she said as a whisper  
"Stella! I love you, you know that you mean more to me than anything in the world!" said Mac  
She looked at him and smiled. It was in that moment, she knew that he loved her. She went to the Phantom and pulled off the mask and put her hand to his face. She could feel his tears.  
"I do love you but not in the same way, you will always be my friend" she said as she kissed him.  
When he felt her lips on his, he didn't know what to feel. He was kissing Stella! He finally got his wish, to feel the kiss of his love. What he knew now, was that he couldn't keep her.  
"Go...go with him...leave me now" he said as he was backing away from her.

Stella took one last look at the phantom before she and Mac left him behind, they knew they would not see him again.

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCALIMER:** I don't own CSI NY and i don't make any money from it.

Chapter 8.

It was a little over a year later, the phantom had almost been forgotten, he was a wage fragment of Stella's thoughts, but nothing more.  
Just this day it was Stella's birthday, she was woken up by a soft kiss from Mac and looked into his blue eyes and smiled when her doorbell rang.  
She got up and went to open, but there was no one there, instead she found her paper and a rose with a black ribbon. She looked around the hallway, no one, then she went inside.  
Mac looked at her and said: Who was it?  
"Couldn't see anyone" she replied putting the rose on the kitchen counter.  
"Then maybe it was a ghost" he said and winked at her, went over, put his arms around her and gave her a tender kiss.

Feedback always welcome and very much appriciated :o)


End file.
